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Best described as a customer-centric business, Western Australian manufacturing company, Vekta Automation has grown to become one of the most trusted automated machine suppliers for the timber frame and truss industry – both locally and beyond our borders. In 2007, Mechatronics Engineer (and Vekta Automation Managing Director), Ed Serrano spotted an opportunity in the Razer – a linear saw developed for the timber construction industry. After securing the rights to purchase the Razer and its IP, Serrano set up Vekta Automation from an unpowered shed on his Beckenham property. He worked to improve the functionality and performance of the Razer and to reduce the costs associated with its operation. “We were taking on a failed product with a terrible reputation. Every time one of these machines was built, it was done so at a loss. This was a major challenge for us – to spin that around and change the reputation of our core product. But we did it and it has been a hugely challenging and satisfying process,” Serrano said. In addition to the constant innovation of products,…

Despite all of the time, money, and effort invested into ERP systems many manufacturers are still using Excel and other manual methods to manage production. It’s not that the software is bad, the software does exactly what it was designed to do – use a finite capacity scheduling algorithm to schedule production. It is understandable that if you are giving your ERP system inaccurate information, it will produce bad outcomes. So the natural tendency is to focus on improving the detail and accuracy of the information. Chaos Theory, often described as the ‘butterfly effect’ tells us that in complex systems, small changes can lead to vastly different outcomes. To say it another way, there are many variables and everything cannot be precisely known. To summarise the traditional approach, we Plan by running a capacity loading algorithm (Scheduling Program), which generates priories for the shop floor typically in the form of a Work To List. These are then sent out to production to Execute.  Often production looks at these priorities generated by the computer program and comments, “They look a lot different…

Around 22 AMTIL members, many driving out from Sydney, others from further out and indeed some others coming up from Melbourne, attended the tours of Komatsu, and on to Eilbeck Cranes in late February. The first stop was down in Moss Vale for a tour of Komatsu. These companies have been manufacturing mining machinery for the last sixty years. After a business overview presentation, safety briefing, PPE fitting and a run-through of the housekeeping, the group visited the many subassembly areas that collectively make up the underground mining machinery that Komatsu manufactures. The immense workshops were filled with mining equipment being fitted with gear for their next descent into the coal mines around NSW and QLD. Hosted by Moss Vale Site Manager Ben James, and assisted by Senior Business Unit Manager, Bill Turner and National Procurement Manager, Scott Hogan, we were directed into many areas to experience some of the shearers, room and pillar/entry development equipment, including continuous miners, bolting systems, haulage systems, feeder breakers, and many sub-components. We also had the opportunity to view a conveyor system…

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Randa Ibrahim’s Internship at Sutton Tools was about embracing a culture of knowledge sharing, cultivating a nurturing work environment, and staying open to fresh, innovative ideas. Randa has now finished her internship with the company and shares her experience as an intern testifying to the transformative power of Sutton Tools. One of her lecturers, Professor Suresh Palanisamy, who Randa calls her unofficial ‘guidance counsellor’, encouraged her to apply for an internship opportunity with Swinburne’s industry partner Sutton Tools, a leading manufacturer of cutting tools. After the internship, Randa completed her thesis in conjunction with Sutton Tools and was offered a full-time graduate position with the company. “My specialisation is manufacturing so in my role I work a lot with the machines as a service engineer,” she says. Randa also works on special projects to help Sutton Tools stay across changes in advanced manufacturing technologies, known as Industry 4.0. “I’m interested in Industry 4.0, which I would describe as everything becoming smarter, more connected, and automated. This means less room for human error and…

Sustainability topics have continued to rise to near the top of the agenda for many manufacturing CEOs. More and more we are seeing their commitments published along with their investment in delivering environmentally sustainable business. But how well are companies doing, what else can be done, and who’s setting the example? Following SPS 2023 earlier this month, the annual gathering of the manufacturing industry, Alex West, Senior Principal Analyst in Omdia’s Manufacturing Technology practice takes a closer look at sustainable manufacturing in his latest analyst commentary. According to a recent Omdia survey 30% of manufacturers describe themselves as having implemented an environmental strategy with a long-term road map, and this is estimated to increase to 42% over the next 12 months. Companies are allocating additional budget to support these such projects. Target setting is also on the up. In the first six months of 2023, the number of manufacturers having committed to Science Based Targets (SBT) for emissions reduction increased by 40%. However, whilst the focus is fixed and intentions are intensifying, the reality of the…

Considering the problems associated with some large-scale agribusiness practices like the inhumane treatment of animals, lower quality outputs, high-density pollution and staggering water and chemical needs, it's no wonder a return to artisanal subsistence farming seems so attractive. The bad news; it's impossible. Countries where it still proliferates have stagnant economies, and it doesn't offer the variety of output we need in human diets. A single industrialised world farmer produces more food with higher nutritional quality for more people per labour unit than several subsistence farmers. There just isn't enough arable land on Earth to feed eight billion people without the scale of factory farming, and if we want to address the negative impacts it can have on the climate and environment, the only thing that might save us is biotechnology. And one of the biggest problems to solve in growing and processing our food is methane. A third of all the methane we produce is from agriculture,…

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Ausee Machine & Tools is an Australian registered machine tool dealer located in Cranbourne West, Victoria. We are not only an official distributor of SIEG machinery but also keep a wide range of cutting tools, measuring tools and machine accessories.  

Jack Fitzgerald is full of energy. He bounces out of the back of the sprawling office which is home to Think Fencing. The factory is set upon land on a hill out the back of Portarlington. Here, the company makes residential and rural fencing, but also Titan Rail, Ecoduct and all kinds of decking, and all out of recycled Polyvinyl Chloride, or PVC. This is a widely used polymer that is economical, versatile, chemically and electrically stable, and weather-resistant with good processing characteristics. Now, Fitzgerald’s Think Fencing was brought to our attention after the company took out the Leader in Manufacturing award at the 2023 Victorian Manufacturing Gala Hall of Fame Awards. That night in August, Jack brought to the stage with him a couple of engineer staff members, Ben Zappia, and Elise Vella who’d built a plastics extruder in her bedroom at home. “Elise created it all on her own, and is still studying at Deakin University, doing her fourth year in Mechatronics,” says Jack. “Elise looks after the whole technology division we're…

When you fly out of Melbourne airport, look for the rooftop installations of iconic brands like Elders recreated in solar panels mounted using systems from Australia's leading commercial solar mounting manufacturer. In the renewable energy landscape, Sunlock is synonymous with innovation and efficiency, with its solar mounting systems gracing the rooftops of Australia's most prominent commercial and government buildings. Sunlock's work with renowned brands, including Ikea, Aldi, McDonald's, Goodmans, Woolworths, Bunnings, and KFC, and its widespread presence on commercial and government rooftops across Australia underscores its market-leading position. Sunlock, as described by general manager Mani Kaparakis, is not just a company but a revolution in the solar industry. “We're fresh, we're innovative, we are very different in how we approach the market and our products and our customers,” said Kaparakis. This ethos of innovation is deeply ingrained in Sunlock's operations, from its unique C-Channel designed for commercial installations to its rapid three-year ascent to becoming Australia's leading commercial solar mounting manufacturer. Sunlock's specialised focus on commercial solar mounting systems is a critical factor in its success. “We only make commercial solar mounting systems…

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Jamie Whincup has been a part of Triple Eight Race Engineering as a driver since he joined the team in 2006. “My father bought me a go-kart when I was seven years old, so racing was originally a hobby,” Whincup tells me. “Fast forward, and the whole thing just got out of control and has become my profession for 20 years. I was very happy to join what I regarded as the best team in the country in 2006. And they've gone from strength to strength. And we've won many races, but it must be stated that we are an engineering company that showcases our talents on the racetrack.” Now Managing Director, Whincup is straight-forward with his descriptions of what Triple Eight does. “Motorsport has always been about getting a team of people together, to build a race car, take it to the track and race our mates, try to go around in circles quicker than them and get to the…